Hedwig and the Forest of Alsdar
by Bobby South
Summary: Hedwig is not dead! As she continues to search for her beloved master, she gets caught in middle of a war in the Alsdar Forest. Will she help the forest or will she follow her own quest?
1. One Last Chance

"But, sir!" protested the old farmer mouse, standing up from his worn-out, dark blue sofa with holes. His grey beard and old nearly shattered glasses shook with fear and anxiety as he took his worn-out straw hat off. "We've tried everything we could. There is nothing else that can help us to grow puffapods. We just don't know what to do."

"Unless you can suggest anything," said Liam, his middle aged rat nephew wearing an orange shirt.

"Liam, quiet!" snapped Jane-Ann, his teenage golden furred mouse cousin wearing a blue vest. She was holding her baby sister Zoe.

The two cats in blazers, shirts and ties chuckled as they stood up from the less holey, smooth brown sofa. They towered over Liam and his mouse family.

"Your nephew is very smart," one cat chuckled. "For a rat."

Glaring at the mean chuckling cats, Liam charged for them, only for his tail to held by his beloved, elderly aunt in a worn blue and purple flowered dress and wearing glasses.

"We do have a suggestion," said the second cat. "Why don't you guys just make it easier on yourselves and join Workat's new farming plans?"

"What, the ones that will make the forest more dark than it – "

"Liam, shh!" warned his elderly aunt.

"Just give me one more chance, please!" begged the old farmer as he slowly got down on his old knees. "Six months is all we ask. Please!"

"Two months," said the second cat. He slowly walked out of the small, cramped lounge and into the cramped kitchen. He opened the door.

"But, sir – "

"Two months," repeated the first cat, throwing the paper to the mouse farmers. "Pray you make those months effective before Workat throws you out. Let's go!"

Jane-Ann picked up the paper and read it. She did not enjoy reading it.

* * *

It had been five minutes since the Cathorn Inspectors left and Liam wasted no time getting out of the house for a breather.

He was tired and fed up with his life. Four years since he moved in with his uncle, aunt and his two cousins after his own parents died in the muggle world, he tried to make life easier for everyone and himself. He worked hard on Hoyfield Farm with his uncle and Jane-Ann, he tried to liven the mood for his family and tried to enjoy life as he could. It was not too bad when he first came, but, as the years went by, times got harder and he just gave up on everyone and his family, except Zoe who was never gave him any grief yet. He also gave up on hoping for something exciting happening in his life.

Liam went to the hardly grown puffapods and got out his wand. He and his mouse family have tried all the spells that has even been known to help the puffapods grow, but they made very little to no help. On the other hand, with time running short, Liam had to try everything to save his and his family's life. He waved his wand when he fell down. The ground was shuddering.

 _That's what we all need now – an earthquake!_ But, as he got back on his feet, Liam saw the small tree his family was living in was not damaged. He looked around and saw nothing damaged except the puffapod patches were squashed.

He liked playing practical jokes but, on a day like today, he was in no mood for them, especially if they were from the rival farmers or worse some of Workat's soldiers, hoping for their farm to fail.

Liam ran through the path of the squashed puffapods. As he inspected them, they didn't look too bad. As he helped them stand back up, he noticed feathers. White feathers. He looked back at the puffapods and noticed that there was not so much as a single bite on them. Could it have been a bird that had broken down its wing? Or shot down by a wizard or something magical?

As he journeyed further down the path, Liam saw there was a bird! A snowy owl! He quickly hid behind one of the puffapods.

After waiting for five minutes and nothing happened, Liam turned around and saw the owl had still not moved an inch at all. He tip-toed ahead towards the bird and surveyed her. The snowy owl looked beautiful for a deceased one. He peered behind her and saw a small metal cage. He went closer and saw a name on it. It said, 'Hedwig'.


	2. History Mystery

"Liam, where are you?"

Liam knew he had to go whenever his family called him because it was always important. Sometimes it was emergencies, sometimes it was a real quick favour, but they were always important.

But he also knew he had to do something about Hedwig the owl. He couldn't just leave her where she was because the family couldn't cope with the trouble of birds falling on their puffapods.

Liam grabbed Hedwig's right wing and started to pull her away.

"Liam!"

Liam saw his uncle was coming closer to him. So he started to pick speed up. He managed to drag the unconscious owl behind a big willow tree.

Then he quickly ran to meet his uncle. He gulped at his impatient face. "Uncle Stan," he sighed. "I was just checking that this willow wasn't disturbing the puffapods."

"It's not a whomping one," said his uncle.

"I know that," said Liam. "I meant if it wasn't shading over them."

"The puffapods are fifty yards away from the willow!"

Liam saw that the puffapods were. "Oh, right," he chuckled.

"Liam, this is no time for messing around!" snapped his uncle. Then he could see white feathers trailing towards the tree that Liam was standing in front of. "Liam, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing," said Liam. "Why don't we stop messing around and work hard to get those puffapods growing again?"

He started to walk away and turned around to see his uncle walking towards the tree. "Uncle Stan, do you really want to waste time looking around the trees?"

"All right, Liam," said his uncle. "I'm coming."

Liam sighed, relieved that his uncle knew nothing about Hedwig. They went back to the farm.

* * *

"Oh, no," moaned Jane-Ann. "Not porridge again."

"It's all we have," protested her mother. "And we have only a week's supplies left so don't waste a single oat."

As if they weren't on a very tight schedule with no better progress, the farmers had very little food left. All they had was porridge oats that had out of date for years. They could not grow vegetables or fruit. Even the giant tree they lived in was far past blossoming, let alone growing a single apple.

Liam took his share of porridge and walked off.

"Jane-Ann, follow him," ordered her father.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because he's been going to that willow tree with his porridge for a fortnight," said the farmer. "Just check he's actually eating the porridge."

"Why me?" Jane-Ann demanded.

"Because you're very cunning," said her father. "I don't know. Now, get going!"

Jane-Ann sighed and headed over to the tree.

* * *

Jane-Ann noticed Liam walking right in front of her. She got out her wand and cast a disillusionment charm on herself. He father was right: she _was_ cunning.

Jane-Ann tip-toed behind the tree, hoping Liam wouldn't hear her. When she saw Liam, she was so shocked that she nearly fell down and gave away her position. She saw her cousin giving his porridge to the barely conscious owl.

As he fed the owl, Jane-Ann peered close towards. He got out a small vial and put it under her eye. What would he want an owl's tear for?

Then she saw Liam approaching her. She kept still as best as she could. It was lucky for her that he pasted her.

Was Liam up to something? Was he just trying to be charitable to a creature that eats rodents? Or perhaps the owl was a minion to Workat and he was trying to get her on their side. Or, at worst, he could be turning his back on his own family.

In any case, Jane-Ann decided she had better follow him.

* * *

Jane-Ann had been following him for quite a while, but soon she quickly lost him. She looked everywhere for him around the farm, but she couldn't find him, not even a footprint. Then a light flash hit her.

Jane-Ann fell into a puddle. She angrily got up and faced her cousin. "What was all that about?" she demanded. All she got was a rat's claw on her mouth and a shush.

"I'm on a mission to save our forest," said Liam. "Come on."

Jane-Ann followed him. "And that owl is the answer to all our problems?"  
"If we can find out who and what she is," said Liam. He opened the veil and poured it into a puddle. "Let's go."

Since she couldn't think of anything else to do, Jane-Ann just rolled her head and joined her cousin in dunking their heads in the puddle. Soon they could see a snowy owl. A baby snowy owl without her parents, barely able to fly, was trying to get away from the forest fire as quick as she could. She wasn't the only one. There were loads of other forest animals running or flying with her. They were running from giant spiders, trolls and, worst of all, Workat's deadly giant eating plants called the Erterucs. Like moles, their dark petal faces kept popping up from the ground and gobbling up every running animal as much as they could.

The snowy owl was still flying as much as she could, but she was mostly falling down. As she landed, she fell asleep.

* * *

The owl woke up, yawned and felt the metal bars on the cage. The metal bars on the cage?

She looked around. She didn't know where she was, but all she knew is that she wasn't in the forest or any forest at all. She was in outside a shop. A shop called Eeylops Owl Emporium in Diagon Alley.

It was a few years later when the owl was finally picked up by a very large man called Rubeus Hagrid and gave her as a present to his young friend Harry Potter, who named her Hedwig.

For the next seven years, Hedwig had served her master through his many adventures at Hogwarts School defeating the evil warlock, Lord Voldemort, and his minions. Before two days ago, as Harry and his friends were fleeing Voldemort's Death Eaters, Hedwig got hit by a Killing Curse and Harry had to destroy Hagrid's sidecar to slow them down.

As Hedwig's body fell down in the cage, she landed from the sky into the Muggle World into the Wizard World and crashed onto the puffapods on Kenrod Farm in the Alsdar Forest.

Liam and Jane-Ann pulled their heads out of the water and took a breather.

"So she's not just an owl," gasped Jane-Ann. "She's the pet of the great Harry Potter."

"Harry who?" asked Liam.

"You're pulling my leg, right?"

"I'm not even touching any of your leg," said Liam.

Jane-Ann sighed as she headed off. "No wonder you want to help her."

"I'm just healing her so she can fly off," said Liam, catching up with her. "Then she will be out of the way and then we can focus on the farming before the deadline."

Jane-Ann just chuckled.

"What?"

"You think I don't know you very well?" said Jane-Ann. "I know you want a better life. So do all of us and everyone in the forest. And this owl who fits as the one in the prophecy who might save the forest from Workat. Or might join him and help him conquer more forests."  
"Yeah, especially since she must be indestructible," said Liam.

"She's not," said Jane-Ann. "Someone must had inserted a Death Cheater into her body before the Great Forest of Alsdar."  
"Death Cheater?"

"A magical orb inside your body that protects from death," Jane-Ann explained. "But only twice. Get hit a third time and you will die."

Liam gulped.

Jane-Ann gasped. "She's gone!"

"What?" Liam saw that she was right. There was no Hedwig at all. "Could she vanish herself?"

Jane-Ann moaned. "She's not even magical, you twit."


	3. The Reason of Failure

Liam woke up, panting. He looked around and found himself in his small, worn out bed in the small, cramped bedroom he shared with his cousins. He has had that bed since he moved to the farm; it had remained unchanged. The same went for Jane-Ann's single bed and Suzy's rotten, falling-to-pieces cradle.

Liam saw that his terrible nightmare didn't come true. He dreamed of Workat attacking their farm. He had a whole army of snowy owls and murderous plants attacking his uncle, aunt, cousins and Liam. Not even their magic wands could protect them. But he was glad none of that ever happened. Maybe it was being with Hedwig that caused him to have these nightmares, but now that the snowy owl was gone, he was chilled. But the progress on the farm never improved. So that problem was still there.

Just as he tried to go back to back to sleep, Liam heard a cry. It sounded so close to the tree. He got out of bed, grabbed his wand and walked out of his home. He lit his wand and searched for the creature whoever was making that noise. He didn't want to alert his family because he knew they were more than stressed enough and they didn't need any more problems.

* * *

An hour had passed and Liam had searched the whole farm and found nothing. Then he heard giggling. He lowered the light on his wand and followed it.

"This will put those mice and that rat out of business," a voice chuckled.

"Shut up!" snapped another voice.

So that must be why the farm has been struggling and kept on struggling. Some creatures have been preventing the puffapods from growing well. But how? And why?

Liam went to the willow and saw two squirrels. A brown furred one and a silver furred one with a purple bow tie.

"Did you use all that poison powder, Susan?" asked the brown squirrel.

"Every last bit, Sean," replied the silver squirrel.

"Good," Sean the brown squirrel smiled. "Soon Workat will soon have those pests."

So those squirrels with their poisonous powder were the reasons why their puffapods were failing to grow. Then, Liam fell down from on the slippery rock he was standing on.

"What was that?" asked Sean.

Liam got up and quickly ran. But he was soon hovered up in the air. He turned around and saw the squirrels were holding their bright wands in the air.

"Let him go!"

Both Liam and the squirrels turned to face Jane-Ann and her parents holding their wands at them, but soon they were in the air.

"Don't worry," said Susan. "When you join Workat's kingdom, you will learn these dirty magic tricks, but won't be as good as me."

"So it was you who has been plaguing my puffapods?" Uncle Stan demanded.

"Not by choice," said Stan. "We are under orders from Workat."

"But extremely loyal to him, all the same," moaned Jane-Ann.

"Enough!" roared Stan. "Now, we are to take you to Lord Workat himself. There is no other choice."

"There is always a choice," said Liam's aunt.

"You're right," said Susan. "There is one other option."

"DEATH!" Both squirrels smiled and pointed their wands at Liam and the mice. " _Avada Ke_ – "

Then the wands fell down along with Liam and his family.

"What happened?" asked Uncle Stan.

"Look!" cried his wife, pointing to the sky.

Everyone looked up.

"It's Hedwig!" cried Liam.

"Hedwig?" said his aunt. "Who is Hedwig?"

"Oh, um – "

"We might as well tell them, Liam," said Jane-Ann.

Her father gave them a suspicious look. "We?"

Then Liam and Jane-Ann exchanged 'might-as-well' looks, took a deep breath and told their family about Hedwig landing on the puffapods, trying to hide her and feed her all the porridge oats that no one ate.

"You must be starving!" shrieked his aunt.

Then Liam and Jane-Ann went on to explain that they found out who Hedwig was by taking a tear, putting it in a puddle and watching her life from only the Great Fire of Alsdar to now.

"It didn't show where the moment where she hatched out of her egg?" asked the aunt.

"No," Liam and Jane-Ann said together.

"So we don't know which side she and her family were on when she was born," moaned Uncle Stan.

BAM!

The squirrels were stuck to the ground and all tied up in ivy. Hedwig landed behind them and lifted up their heads with her right foot. She aimed her left foot at the squirrels' neck.

"Yeah, go ahead!" yelled Uncle Stan. "Kill them!"

Hedwig brought her talon closer to Stan's neck.

"No, no, no, wait!" begged Sean.

"We'll help your puffapods grow to the fullest!" yelled Susan. "So, all you have to do is harvest! Please!"

Hedwig stopped and looked at the Liam and the mice.

"All right," said Uncle Stan. "Let them fulfil their promises."

Hedwig, Liam and the mice watched the squirrels, still tied up in ivy, waving their wands at the puffapods and they were growing to the fullest.

"They look good enough to harvest," said Uncle Stan.

"Finally, we'll be rich!" Liam cried.

Everyone just looked at him.

"Don't bet on it just yet," said Uncle Stan. "Now, Hedwig, deal with them as you please."

Hedwig nodded to him and mischievously smiled at their nervous squirrels. She picked up them and flew higher in the air. She spun the squirrels around and threw them over to the dark sky.

Then she landed next to the farmers and rubbed her wings together.

"Good job, Heddy!" Liam cheered.

His family gave him another look, but Hedwig just patted him on the back.

"Look, it's sunrise," said Jane-Ann.

And she was right. Sunrise was taking over the farm.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Uncle Stan. "Let's get busy!"

Everyone including Hedwig cheered and they went to the fully grown puffapods.


	4. Farm Under Attack

"Well, come on. We haven't got all day. We have a farm to safe and a whole forest of animals to feed. Let's get going." Uncle Stan never felt so happy in years.

Neither did his wife. Because thanks to Liam finding out about Workat's squirrel spies and Hedwig throwing them away, their tree house was blossoming and apples were growing. They were plenty of apples for her to harvest and they were ripe enough to eat.

The children were happy, too. Even though it was hard work, Liam had never thought that digging and pulling the puffapods out of the ground would be so much fun.

Neither did Jane-Ann. Despite all the dirt getting under her fingers, she was still enjoying it.

It was also the happiest day for Baby Suzy as well. It was the first time she could actually sit out in the sun with her family, instead of being coped up in her cradle in her dark bedroom.

But what made everyone the happiest was that Hedwig the owl had stay behind to help the family harvest. Her job was putting the crates in piles ready for delivery after Liam and Jane-Ann dug out the puffapods and Uncle Stan inspected them.

Jane-Ann asked Hedwig why she was helping them and Hedwig explained in sign language with her wings it was her way to repay their kindness for looking after her even when they had so little to give.

After a whole day of hard work, the harvest was complete.

"I haven't felt this good in years," said Uncle Stan.

"And I bet you haven't had an apple pie in years," his wife smiled as she held a delicious, hot-piping apple pie.

The kids smelled it and sighed in union. It was a nice change for them after years of disgusting porridge.

"There were plenty of apples to spare," their mother explained. "So I thought why not?"

"Come on," said Jane-Ann. "Let's eat!"

They cheered and started to go inside the tree. Then an anxious Hedwig got in their way.

"Hedwig, what are you doing?" Jane-Ann demanded.

The snowy owl pointed and Liam and his mice family turned around and saw a whole army of squirrels, bears, dragons and giant dark veins coming out the ground and wriggling like a pair of giant worms. In front of them was a fox wearing heavy metal armour. He approached Hedwig and the farmers.

"Is there a problem, Captain?" Uncle Stan demanded.

"Not a problem."

Hedwig and the farmers felt relived.

"Problems." The Captain got out a scroll. "According to this, you have broken several laws. You have grown puffapods without Workat's inspectors' approval and you have assaulted two of his finest warriors."

"First of all, our contract has not expired even by the inspectors' standards," said Uncle Stan. "And secondly, those spies were trying to put us behind schedule."

"But it's all thanks to Hedwig who sorted them out," said Liam.

"Oh, Liam," Jane-Ann sighed.

"What?" Then he realised that he spilled the beans about Hedwig.

The Captain looked at the white owl and smiled even more sinisterly. "Boy, Workat is going to give me a pay rise for bringing you in." Then he turned to his soldiers. "Take them all."

The soldiers started marching to the farmers, but they halted when magic wands were pointing at them.

"You got wands, idiots!" yelled the Captain. "Use them!"  
Then they armed their wands.

"Two hundred against four," said Jane-Ann. "We don't stand a chance."

"We do," said Liam.

"What?"

"Hedwig."  
Then a shadow flew over them and past as they saw the snowy owl charging for the army, whacking them with a huge log.

"If she survived all of Harry Potter's adventures," Liam said, "then what _can't_ she survive?"

The Captain addressed his soldiers. "Hold your positions!" he yelled. He pointed to one half. "You men, focus on that snowy beast!" Then he turned to the rest. "You me, follow me." They marched to Liam and the mice.

"Stand your ground!" Uncle Stan ordered.

"Falcons!" The Captain pointed to them and about a dozen falcons flew towards to the farmers.

" _Confringo_!" yelled Liam.

Then the sky was soon full of burning falcons.

"Send in the bears!" yelled the Captain.

Seven strong bears charged for the farmers, but Jane-Ann waved her wand and the bears fell down, paws over the eyes.

"What spell did you do?" Liam asked.

"The Conjunctivitus Cruse," Jane-Ann replied.

Then she was lifted up. So was Liam and the rest of their family. It was the veins that were holding them up in the air. Soon they were being dragged to the Captain.

"Hedwig! HEDWIG!" Liam yelled.

"She can't help you now!" the Captain chuckled.

Liam looked left to see Hedwig was pinned down, surrounded by soldiers pointing their wands at her.

"Maybe that's what she can't survive, Liam," Jane-Ann cried out. Then looking at the wands pointing to the snowy owl gave her an idea. Despite being wrapped up tight by veins, she aimed her wand down below and whispered a spell.

Her plan had worked. The giant veins were nothing more than pieces of copper.

"Everyone, out! Jane-Ann ordered.

She jumped out and saw Liam free. Then he ran to catch Suzy.

Then screaming made Jane-Ann turn around to see a green lightning flash. She was horrified to see who it was that got hit.

"PAPA!" She quickly ran to her father and dropped down to her. He could barely breathe. He reached for her hand and she held it.

"Look after everyone," he whispered. "Promise me no harm will come to them."

"I promise."

Then no more breath came out of his mouth.

Then more screaming made Jane-Ann turn to face her mother falling. She ran to her and saw her not moving at all. Not even an inch. Jane-Ann felt her pulse and her breath. Nothing at all. She started to cry and didn't care wherever she got killed or not. But someone did care.

Jane-Ann was in the air and in an owl's foot. She turned left to see Liam and Suzie in the other. She looked up to see it was Hedwig who had picked her up and was flying off. Jane-Ann turned around as much as she could to see her home since she was born burn like a forest fire along with her own birthright parents. She closed her eyes and sobbed, feeling that her life was over.


	5. Reporting

Chapter Five: Reporting

After two hours of making sure that the farm was nothing but a pile of ash and ciders, Workat's army marched all the way through the dark forest of Alsdar.

They passed the slave mice, owls, moles, rabbits, squirrels and even the tall deers weeding and putting them into the cauldrons to create spells. They all hoped for the best because if the slave drivers saw one little back fire from either the weeding slaves or the potion makers, they would become a snack for the troll guards. A solider never had to worry about making any foul-ups because they were above the trolls. But it was a different story when they approached the tallest, blackest tree with nothing but thorns – deadly, poisonous thorns on them. They were not worried about the tree or the horns either; only the master of all deadly plants: Workat.

The army climbed up through the two thousand steps up to his throne room. They knew Workat did not like them using broomsticks or flu powder because he believed that someone could sneak into his room and kill him when he least expected it.

They were exhausted when they approached the throne room, but they acted like they weren't when they approached the dark lord sitting on a wooden throne of thorns.

The Captain saluted his ruler and his soldiers saluted him back.

"At ease," said the low, quiet, spooky, voice coming from a dark corner showing nothing but green eyes.

The army stood at ease.

The dark green eyes came out of the darkness along with the black-furred, cat-like face with tusks under its cheeks and goat-like horns above his eyebrows. Below it was a muscular, furry body – the shape of a horse – with a tail similar to a lion. "Report, Captain."

"I present to you those pesky farmers who refused to bow to you." The Captain moved out of the way and two soldiers approached carrying the deceased farmers.

Workat felt their pulse and smiled.

"And furthermore," the Captain continued, "we have destroyed their homes and took over their lands. Here's proof."

Workat snatched from the Captain a burnt piece of wood. Then he turned to see the trolley of the last ever puffapods and apples grown there. The dark ruler kicked the trolley over and laughed. "I now finally rule entire the forest! Now we can finally proceed to the next forest."  
"Well, I suppose we can," said the Captain. "Let's just hope a snowy owl doesn't get in our way."

"Yes, let's hope – " Then Workat stopped dancing. He pinned his Captain to the ground and sneered at him. "Explain that!"

"When we arresting the farmers and burning their land," the scared Captain said, "there was a snowy owl protecting them. She flew off with the little children!"

Workat released him. "This is a disaster!"

"What, three young mice lost in the woods?" the Captain said.

"No, you idiot!" Workat roared. "It's that snowy owl! It could Serpo!"

"Who's Serpo?" asked a soldier.

"Who's Serpo?" Workat repeated. "Who is Serpo? No one!" Then he laughed and everyone laughed. "No one. Only the daughter of the Pacem family!"

"Those owls who ruled the forest before you took over?" asked another soldier.

"Exactly!" Workat yelled. "I put a memory charm on her on the day of we burned this forest so she wouldn't know who she was and banished her. Now that she's come back, she'll summon all the free animals to fight against us and we'll be defeated."

"Why didn't you kill her when you had the chance, sir?" asked a vulture soldier.

Workat growled at him. "Probably because he didn't fancy having an owl for a snack. I don't know! I can't remember! But this is a very easy mistake that is fixable… if we do it very quickly!"

"Yes, sir," said his army.

"I'm sending my apprentice to help you," Workat said. He clapped his giant strong furry paws only once.

A shadow overtook the army. They looked up to see a dark something in the sunlight spot in the roof of the throne room floating down towards them. The sun was so bright they couldn't make out what it was.

"He's landed next to me ten seconds ago, idiots!" Workat yelled.

The army looked to see their ruler with a barn owl with a black cape next to it.

"Bakey's mind and magic will help you track down this snowy owl," Workat said. "And, remember, whether it's Serpo or not, kill it all the same. We can't take any chances."

"Yes, sir," said Bakey and the army.

"Well, let's go and get this bag of white feathers!" Bakey cheered, waving his wand up and down.

The army cheered and flew out, leaving Workat smiling that Hedwig will finally be out of his fur for good.


	6. A Snake Trap

"Put us down!" yelled Jane-Ann.

Hedwig knew that the young mice were tired and depressed over losing their home and worst their relatives. Jane-Ann and Suzy were now in the orphan league with their cousin Liam. And they had been flying for hours now. The snowy owl needed to rest too, but she knew she had to make certain that they were clear from the evil forest.

"Put us down!" Jane-Ann yelled for the twentieth-fifth time. "We're well clear from the forest!"

"Yeah," agreed Liam. "And there's a nice, interesting rock down there."

Jane-Ann saw where Liam was pointing and nodded. "Hedwig, land us down there! NOW!"

Hedwig did land. She was worn out not because of the flying but because Jane-Ann had been a terrible passenger. The owl understood what she and her relatives were going through. She went through the same with her owner. Liam and Suzy were taking it hard as well, but Jane-Ann was the one who was struggling with the pain the most. Then she quickly dashed off as if she was being chased by a cat.

"Hey, Jane-Ann!" Liam called as he picked up his little cousin Suzy and started running after his eldest one. "Where are you going?"

"I can't cope with this!" Jane-Ann cried. "I need to be on my own for a while."  
Liam tried to catch up with her, but the heavy stones on the path made it hard for him to catch up. "Hey, Heddy, any chance of help here?" He turned around only to find there was no snowy owl on the rock where she had dropped them. This is the second time she had done that. Buy why is she doing it?

Liam looked ahead to find that now Jane-Ann was out of sight too. Now he and Suzy were completely alone together in the middle of nowhere. Where they were they knew nothing about at all except it was a valley of full of nothing but rocks and rocky walls with small holes in.

* * *

As he and Suzy started to make their way through the valley, Liam was wondering about what happened to Jane-Ann. Could she have just ran off so she could have time to herself to recover from the burning of her home since she was born? Could she have run off because she had enough of Liam's carefree and mischievous personality? Or maybe she must have gone off to commit suicide because she wasn't coping very well with the death of her parents.

Suzy yawned and started to sniffle quietly.

"There, there," said Liam. "I know you miss your parents. I miss them, too."  
And he never thought he missed them as much as he felt right now. Even though he loved them and they were with his legal guardians, he never really viewed them as the closest things to parents since his own died. But now he thought of them, tears of missing and regretting not to bond with them came out of his eyes.

"LIAM!"

He and Suzy turned around to see Jane-Ann alive and running towards them. "You get lost for an hour and a half and you freak out?"

"Only from snakes!" Jane-Ann protested, running past them.

Liam laughed. "Oh, that's very brave of – " Then he realized what his elder cousin said. "What? Snakes!"

Then he heard hissing coming from behind. He turned around and his fear and Jane-Ann was right. There was a cobra snake slithering towards them. He slowly grinned at it and moved backwards. He didn't move very far.

"Why are you stopping me, Jane-Ann?" Liam snapped.

"Oh, no reason other than the fact that I am facing a viper!" Jane-Ann snapped back.

Liam turned around and saw the viper that Jane-Ann was facing. Then they saw both of them were blocked off by a milk snake and a carpet python.

"Can we help you?" Liam asked the snakes.

"Yes," said the viper. "We could use a snack."  
"Isn't there a market near here?" Liam suggested.

"No food and water is hard to get by these days," said the viper.

"Especially since we had to leave the Alsdar Forest after Workat's invasion," said the milk snake.

All four snakes slithered closer to the mice, looking desperate for a bite to eat.

"Where is Hedwig when you need her?" Jane-Ann demanded.

"There she is!" Liam pointed up.

Then everyone including the snakes looked up to see Hedwig hovering above them.

"About bloody time, too!" Jane-Ann moaned.

But the snowy owl didn't fly down.

"Hedwig, we could do with a bit of rescuing here!" Jane-Ann called to her.

"An owl, friends with little mice children?" said the carpet python. "Doesn't this seem a bit strange to you?"

"Who cares?" asked the python. "Whether she is friends with them or planning to eat them later, we have the better chance of capturing them before she does."

The snakes turned around to the mice.

"HEDDY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Liam screamed.

The snakes opened their mouths and each other roared in for the mice.

"STOP!"

The other snakes stopped to look at the viper.

"The ground is shaking!" she exclaimed.

The snakes turned around and saw that she was right. And the rumbling was rocking like a real earthquake. They all looked up at Hedwig.

"What are you doing to us, owl?" the cobra demanded.

She just shook her head.

"Look!" Jane-Ann cried.

Everyone looked to see Workat's army running towards them.

"Seize everyone on the ground!" Bakey the owl ordered. "Leave Serpo to me!"

Hedwig, the mice and the snakes had no idea who they were talking about. Then the snowy owl dodged Bakey towards her.

"You can fly, but you can't hide, Serpo!" the barn owl yelled at her.

As she flew around looking for something to fight Bakey, Hedwig wandered why he was calling her 'Serpo'. Might he confuse her for some other snowy owl or might that be her name before Harry Potter dubbed her 'Hewdig'?

After flying around as quickly as she could, she realised she couldn't keep it up especially since it had been five hours since she and the mice left the farm. Then she saw a big mountain full of small rocks. She landed on the top and threw the top rock at Bakey's wand before he could say the spell. Then his face was hit by a rock. Bakey got hit by so many rocks and so fast that he couldn't even have time to open his beak let alone say a word.

Back on the ground, Workat's army had plenty of success capturing all four snakes and putting them into magical cages. The mice, on the other hand, were smaller and quicker. They managed to drive into a crack.

One fox waved his wand and said, " _Wingardium leviosa_!"

The mice flew up. They tried to break free but it did them no good.

A rabbit soldier reached for them, but they weren't there by the time his paws were together. Everyone looked ahead and saw that the mice were flying away in Hedwig's claws.

"What do we do now, sir?" asked a badger soldier.

Everyone turned around to face Bakey who was buried under a pile of rocks and was badly bruised.

"Sir, they're getting away," a frog soldier reported.

Bakey yawned. "We can get them tomorrow. Let's call it a day." Then he nodded off.


	7. Hulix Bogs

"Anyone hungry?" Liam asked.

"I'm not just hungry," Jane-Ann said. "I'm thirsty."

"What do you say, Heddy?" Liam called to his flyer.

Hedwig had not stopped flying since getting away from Bakey and his squad, so she was getting hungry and thirsty as well. The good news was that they were out of the rocky valley and were over a land of organic, mud and grass. The bad news was that they were flying above some giant mud with very few trees with no fruit on them. And the water looked too dirty to take a simple sip.

"Hey, I can see some mushrooms over there," Liam pointed out.

Hedwig followed his instructions and landed next to the mushrooms. The mice got off and Liam ran for them –

"Hold on, Liam!" Jane-Ann called. "Let's check these mushrooms are okay."

They looked around at the mushroom and it looked real and fit to eat.

Jane-Ann took a piece of the mushroom and put it in her mouth. "Hmm, tastes all right," she said.

"All right, come on!" Liam waved over to Hedwig, carrying Suzy, to come over. Soon the four of them were eating delicious mushrooms.

Then the mushrooms vanished into nothing.

"Where did the mushrooms go?" Jane-Ann asked.

Then something took over them. It was dark. Liam and Jane-Ann lit their wands and looked around while Hedwig held onto Suzy to support her.

Liam pulled onto the material. "We are definitely in some sort of magical bag."

"But how we get out is what I want to know," Jane-Ann said.

She tried many spells with her wand like setting the bag on fire, freezing it and simply poking a hole with her wand among other things, but had no success at all.

"Hey, listen," a big booming voice said. "They're trying to escape our magical, inescapable bag."

Then a big metal zip fell down and they could see a troll's face.

"Ha, ha," he boomed. "There's no way in a million – "

Hedwig charged for the face. Then the mice found themselves floating around as the bag stared to fall down.

"Ow!" Jane-Ann and Liam cried as the bag landed. They thought they hit the giant root of a tree. They crawled out of the bag and were greeted by a wave of mud. They saw the troll that Hedwig had zoomed and pecked in the face sinking in the ground. The snowy owl landed next to them.

"Well, I suppose that's one way of getting of that bag," Jane-Ann muttered as she wiped the mud off her.

"Look!" Liam yelled, pointing behind Hedwig.

Everyone looked to see a whole herd of trolls helping the fallen one over.

"Why did you open the bag in the first place, genius?" asked one of the trolls.

"I thought I was being smarter than them," the troll said.

"Well, you weren't," said another.

"Where are they, anyway?" asked a third one.

Hedwig swooped the mice on her back and immediately flew off, hoping they wouldn't be spotted.

"Over there!" cried one, pointing Hedwig and the mice.

"After them!" the chief troll yelled.

They charged for them.

* * *

"Faster, Hedwig!" Jane-Ann cried. "Faster!"

Hedwig was glad to have eaten those mushrooms while they lasted but she wished there was more for her energy needs. She was flying as fast as she could but the trolls were easily catching up to her.

Jane-Ann and Liam were waving wands, firing at tree branches whenever Hedwig flew past the trees in order to stop the trolls. They managed to knock down enough branches for the trolls to fall down onto.

After ten more minutes of speed-flying, Hedwig finally landed on a tree stump and panted.

"Wait, Liam," Jane-Ann said, as she saw him getting off.

"What?" he protested.

"I wouldn't get off, if I were you. What if we need to dash off in a flash?"

"How else am I going to stretch my legs?" And, with that, Liam jumped off.

"You're on the back of an owl, genius," Jane-Ann muttered. "You have plenty of room to stretch your legs."

Liam stretched himself and took a deep breath after all the drama he, his family and Hedwig have experienced today. First, losing their farm and relatives, then the snakes, Bakey and his army and now thick, useless trolls. How could this day get any worse?

A shadow overtook Liam. He looked up to see a club. He quickly jumped onto Hedwig's left foot before the owl took off.

"Why did you just hold that thing over them?" a troll snapped to the one who held the club.

"I was trying to get the aim right," the troll with the club protested.

The other troll just took the club of him and whacked him on the head. "You've got to think faster!"

Hedwig was flying again but this time she was flying steadily as there were no trolls in sight.

"We need to get out of here fast," Liam said.

"But how?" Jane-Ann said. "We don't have a map to get us out of this place and there's nothing but trees and trolls everywhere."

"You got that right!" cried a voice.

"Shut up!" another voice yelled. "You've given away their position!"

Then the trolls jumped out of the trees and they charged for them.

The mice saw that the trolls had them completely blocked off, but flying upwards they had a chance.

"Let's go, Heddy!" Liam cried. "Fly up."

But the owl didn't move an inch any further.

"Hedwig, what are you doing?" Jane-Ann snapped.

"Hey, check it out!" Liam cried.

Jane-Ann looked ahead and saw the trolls panicking and screaming as their legs were completely covered up in mud.

"Help us!" they cried.

"Cruse you, Owl and Mice!" the chief troll yelled, as they flew off.

* * *

Hedwig landed on another tree stump and collapsed.

The rodents jumped off her.

"Now what are we going to do?" asked Liam.

"Since it's dark and Hedwig's passed out," Jane-Ann said, "I suppose we might as well do so."

Then they heard still heard screaming. They turned around to see only the faces of the trolls over the mud.

"I know that it was either we leave them like that or we become dinner," Liam said, "but just leaving them to die doesn't feel right."

"I don't like it either," Jane-Ann said, "but it wasn't like we made them continue to hunt us down, is it?"

"Actually, it is," said a child's voice.

The rodents turned around to see a smaller troll with black hair braids in a brown torn dress approaching them.

"Hedwig, wake up!" the rodents yelled, shaking the owl to no avail.

"No, wait," said the troll. "I'm not going to eat you, I promise."

The rodents stopped and looked at the troll.

"Who are you?" Liam asked.

"My name is Tina," replied the troll. "I'm the daughter of the Chief Troll."

"How is it _our_ fault that the trolls are sinking themselves to death?" Jane-Ann asked.

"Because you guys are the only fresh meat they have seen in months," Tina explained. "They will do anything to eat anything whatever it takes."

"Well, we're sorry but we're still not ready to be someone's dinner," said Jane-Ann.

"Didn't say you needed to be," Tina said. She got out her wand and waved it around. The rodents and Hedwig were lifted up and put them on the highest branch of the tallest tree.

"You'll be safe on there for the night until your owl friend recovers," Tina called to them. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a herd to save. Bye."

With that, she walked away.

"Thanks," Jane-Ann said. And, with that, she and her family went to sleep.


	8. Welcome to Refuge Mountain

Hedwig yawned and stretched her wings. She saw the sun was rising and there was not a single troll in sight. She saw that the mice were nowhere in sight either. She looked around and, when she couldn't find them, she assumed they were all right on their own now, that they were able to collect their own food and water. Perfect time to get back down to finding her master.

That was what she was planning on doing this whole time since she survived the Battle of the Seven Potters: getting back to Harry Potter. It wasn't like she didn't like the kids; she thought they were fun, even though Jane-Ann was a pain in the tail. She only stuck around with the kids because she owned a debt to the farmer mice to look after them after they looked after her. But now the debt was repaid, she felt that she could get back on her personal mission without interruptions.

As she flew above the bogs, Hedwig still couldn't see the mice nor could she even hear them. So she still assumed that they were fine on their own. Then she stopped and hovered when her eyes caught sight of a giant web. It wasn't the vast and thickness of the web that intrigued her; it was three small objects all wrapped in web and stuck on it. One of them reminded her of Jane-Ann because of the size. The medium-sized one looked to be the size of Liam and the tiny was no bigger than Suzy.

After she checked for any predators coming over which they weren't any so far, Hedwig used her left claw to unravel the web of the tiny one and used her right claw to catch Suzy.

After putting the baby on her back, Hedwig freed Liam and Jane-Ann.

"Boy, does it feel good to be out of that web!" Liam cried, after breathing in the fresh air.

"Well, we wouldn't have been in the web in the first place if you hadn't climbed up the trees!" Jane-Ann protested, as she got the web out of hair. "We warned you about the spiders up above, but you still climbed up and – "

"We hadn't eaten any decent food for days!" Liam protested. "I would rather risk going up there than die of hunger."

"Even if it means climbing to your death?"

"Yes, Jane-Ann," Liam said. "Even if it means climbing to my death."

"I didn't say that, you cretin!" Jane-Ann pointed.

Liam turned around and saw an acromantulas facing him and his friends.

"You know, you and I are alike," said the acromantulas. "We are dying to eat any decent food even if it means crawling to my death. And that's just what I'm going to do!"

Hedwig flew off before the spider could lower his front two legs.

"I think we've lost him," Liam called looking back.

"Look out, Hedwig!" Jane-Ann cried, looking ahead.

Hedwig halted as she saw the giant spider in front of them.

"Oh, yummy, yummy!" the spider cried.

Hedwig steered left and flew off. Behind them came a giant stump. The mice turned around to see the spider again.

"Oh, goodie!" cried the acromantulas. "Food!"

"Okay, that's getting boring!" Jane-Ann told him.

"What are you talking about?" said the spider. "I've only seen you for two seconds."

"That's a filthy lie!" Liam yelled at him.

"Wait a minute, Liam," Jane-Ann said. Seeing all the spiders made her think that they were not the same spider, not even three spiders. She soon saw that there was a whole herd of spiders chasing after them.

* * *

The spiders have not stopped chasing Hedwig and the mice even after they left the bogs. The snowy owl was out of breath and struggling to carry on, though she still persisted.

"Heddy! Hill at nine o'clock!" Liam pointed to it.

Hedwig put all her effort to reach the hill and successfully landed on it. As she rested, she saw the giant spiders still catching up to them.

"Wands ready!" Jane-Ann ordered. She and Liam got out their wands and started waving them.

But before they could say their spell, they saw more wand firings at the army of acromantulas. Before they escape back into the bogs, the spiders were getting zapped to pieces. Not even a single leg reached the bog.

Liam and Jane-Ann looked to see the firing wands belonged to about a dozen moles.

The middle one turned around. "I am Major Golger. Welcome to Refugee Mountain. We will get you three in straight away."

"And we have a fourth one, Major," Liam said.

"Where?" the major asked.

"Look up," Jane-Ann said.

The major looked up and saw the snowy owl. He looked scared. "This couldn't be Serpo, by any chance?"

"All we know is that her name is Hedwig," said Jane-Ann. "And she has fought Workat's minions and saved us from death many times."

"All right," the major said. "Follow us." Then he and the moles dived back into their holes.

"Should we follow them?" asked Liam.

"Well, I can't see another route or another door," Jane-Ann said.

They started to jump into the holes, but one of Hedwig's wings stopped them. The snowy owl turned around and pointed to the top of the hill. The moss was flying upwards and hovering over a hole. A fox appeared. "Well, come on before Workat spots us!" she ordered.

Jane-Ann and Liam led on, while Hedwig held onto Suzy as they jumped in.

After the hole was covered with moss, the fox addressed them. "Follow me and I'll show you to your new home."

* * *

Hedwig and the mice followed the fox through the rocky, muddy tunnel. It was damp and dull, with no movement except the rain drops dropping into wooden buckets.

"This is boring," Liam moaned.

"Well, stick with me for five more seconds and you'll be amazed at what I show you," the fox said.

Liam and his friends did so and were amazed at what they saw. They could see mice, moles, robins, bunnies, newts and even skunks among other animals coming in and out of little huts made of loose stone or walking around them.

"Welcome to Refuge Mountain," the fox said.

"Catchy," Liam said.

They looked around the huts. They were smaller and snug than the farm, but the huts look strong enough to live in and there were just about enough food to go around… on ration control, Jane-Ann thought.

She let her family and Hedwig walk ahead before she sneaked to the fruit stall. She saw the juiciest blueberries she had ever seen. She reached for some and caught something. She tried to throw it in her mouth, but nothing went in. She looked at her hand and saw it contained a paw of the fox.

"If you want to live and eat," the fox said sternly, "you have to sign a housing contract. Follow me."

"Right away, Mr. 'Follow Me'," Jane-Ann muttered.

* * *

The fox took Hedwig and the mice to the biggest stone hut about twenty yards from the refuge village. "Here is the town hall," he said.

Hedwig and the mice followed him as he took them inside. They could find nothing but dark stone walls with lit candles and a wooden desk with an old, grey mouse with glasses and a grey beard writing on paper.

"Mayor Juolt," the fox said. "Four more refuges."

"Thank you, Colonel," Mayor Juolt said. "I will take it from here."

"Very good, sir," the Colonel said. Then he walked out.

"Name," said the mayor to his new refuges.

"My name is Jane-Ann," the oldest mouse replied. "This is my young sister, Suzy. My cousin, Liam. And this owl is my friend and guardian, Hedwig."

Hedwig was both surprised and touched by what Jane-Ann said. She, on the one wing, was honoured that she must be doing a good job for looking after the mice since they were homeless. But the other wing said what about her mission to get back to Harry Potter.

The mayor looked at the snowy owl and gasped. "What's her name again?"

"Hedwig," replied Jane-Ann.

"Hedwig?" the mayor repeated. Then he started to write the name down. "For a moment, I thought she was Serpo."

Hedwig was getting sick of being called that.

Then Jane-Ann explained that how Workat's army had destroyed their farm and Hedwig took them from under her wing and protected them for evil.

"Well, from what I've heard, you're all clean and you're lucky that there are four spaces for – "

"Sir! Sir!"

Everyone turned around to see a brown squirrel in rags running towards them.

"Workat's forces have arrived outside," he reported.

"What?" the mayor snapped. "After hiding for twenty years, we finally get spotted!" Then he glared at Hedwig. "It's the snowy owl here! She is a spy for Workat!"

"No, she isn't!" Jane-Ann protested.

"They're demanding someone call Serpo," the squirrel said.

* * *

"I will discuss some new negotiation terms with you lowlifes!" Bakey yelled. "As soon as you hand in Serpo, we will walk away and never bother you again."

Hedwig, the mice, the mayor and some soldiers were on top of the hill and saw Bakey and his minions at the edge of the wood.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" the mayor snapped. "Leave with them so we can live in peace."

Hedwig looked at her mice friends.

"Don't worry about them," the mayor said. "We'll take good care of them. Now, go!"

Hedwig looked at Bakey and his minions all armed and prepared to fire their wands at the helpless refuge animals whose wands are no match for Workat's army. She thought of tricking them and flying off to get back to her master. Then she thought of the guilt she would have to live with that the lives of the refuges be slaved or dead. So she waved to her friends and immediately flew off. She landed in front of Bakey and held her wings out. Bakey was about to secure the cuffs when –

" _Glacius_!" Liam yelled, as he popped up from Hedwig's head. An ice blast from his wand hit the rabbit with the cuffs.

Jane-Ann fired firing spells at Bakey's minions, making them back away.

As the mice continued firing their wands, Hedwig started to fly away. She was surprised to see the mice coming to her rescue. She was wandering how they could do it; probably a spell she never heard of, not even from Harry Potter. Soon she got hit by something and she crashed to the ground unconscious. The mice, who had jumped from Hedwig's head, saw Bakey blowing on his wand.

"Nice try, guys," the barn owl said, grinning evilly.

"Come on, let's go!" Liam yelled. He and his cousins started to run, but they were all picked by the tail of a rattlesnake. They were about to enter the mouth with two large fangs.

"STOP!" Bakey yelled. "They are not for eating!"

"But I'm hungry," the snake protested.

"You will be a meal yourself if you don't obey Workat," Bakey said. "Now, let's go!"

The mice, all wrapped up in the snake's tail, followed the now-cuffed-up Hedwig as Bakey and his army led them back into the Forest of Alsder.


	9. Surrending

Despite never walking on her feet as often as her flying, Hedwig was not feeling very tired. She had walked for nearly a week and still not felt tired, not just because she had all those nights to rest, but also because she had been flying so much for so long, she was glad to give her wings a rest. Neither she nor the rodents were offered a scrap of food or a drop of water but wherever they were placed, there were always some holes of water for them to reach and drink. Dirty, grubby water, but anything was better than being thirsty.

Despite being in chains and in the claws of the most powerful and evil force in the forest, Hedwig was not worried about what was preparing for her, even her own death. She was not a magical creature herself, but she remembered all the spells Harry Potter had been practicing either at Hogwarts or the Dursleys' and heard all the stories of Harry fighting Voldemort, so she thought she stood a chance being his pet. Though it would be have been a lot easier if the rodents didn't try to rescue her.

Hedwig had not spoken to the rodents since their attempt to rescue her, mainly because she was always at least about fifty yards away from them. Then when Bakey pointed out they were only five minutes away from Workat, he ordered the rodents to join Hedwig. The owl gave them a look.

"It wasn't my idea, Hedwig," Jane-Ann said. "It was my cousin's, putting our lives in danger."

"To save a friend who has done so much for us!" Liam protested.

"I'm sure the great Hedwig or Serpo as everyone knows her by that name wouldn't just surrender without a plan!" Jane-Ann snapped.

"I thought she would have a better chance with us than – "

"Everyone, shut up!" yelled a squirrel.

Hedwig and the rodents just gave each other a cold shoulder as they kept on marching towards the centre of the forest.

* * *

"Wow!" Liam cried, as his eyes were glued to Workat's Palace. "No one told me dark magic was cool."

Hedwig and Jane-Ann groaned.

"If we were at Hogwarts, you would be in Slytherin and wouldn't last a week," Jane-Ann muttered under her breath.

Then Bakey ordered the guards to escort the prisoners to up to Workat, while he went to do some important business.

"It's not going to be too smelly, is it?" Liam called.

"Shut up, Liam!" Jane-Ann roared. "You've been getting on my nerves once too often."

"Take them up," Bakey said.

* * *

"How many stairs are there?" Liam asked the fox who was carrying him on his head. "Do you guys ever take breaks? I bet you don't even need a gym with these stairs."

"Liam, enough already," Jane-Ann snapped. "You just don't know when to draw the line, do you?"

After another two hundred and fifty steps, the prisoners were shoved into the throne room and slammed before Workat.

"Ah, Serpo," the evil dictator smiled. "We meet at last."

Hedwig just scowled at him.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Workat said. "It wasn't my fault you let me and my army take over this forest. And, I'll be fair, it wasn't yours, either. You were given a memory charm by this creature."

He pointed to a little hedgehog in an apron that was being dragged in by two soldiers.

"Julia here is the one who banished you away from this forest you were born," Workat said. "I wanted to keep you here and make you a useful owl, but she put a memory charm on you and banished you to become a mere pet to a mere wizard boy."

Hedwig glared at Julia.

"I only did what I did for your safety and the forest's safety," the little hedgehog sniffed.

"How is sending her away doing her and us any good?" Liam snapped.

"Yeah, I don't get the point," Jane-Ann agreed. They rarely agreed on anything.

"Serpo's father was a duke of this forest before Workat took over," Julia explained. "When the invasion began, I saw the king and all of his royal subjects getting killed. Then I saw Serpo, the only one could take over the forest, who could barely fly in danger. So I printed a memory charm on her and I banished her away because, if she was dead, there would be no hope for this forest."

"Well, your actions have been in vain," Workat said. He grabbed his magical wand and pointed at Hedwig. She didn't nudge an inch.

Workat grinned. "Ah, you don't fear death, do you? You must have many adventures and cheated death many times."

"Only one, actually," Liam said.

"Shut up!" Jane-Ann snapped, smacking her hand on his mouth.

"Well, I don't know your age," Workat said, moving away from Hedwig, "but I can see you're quite an experienced owl. Let's see how experienced your young friends are." He aimed his wand at the little mice.

Hedwig started to flap her wings, but a net was thrown at her.

"Join me or they will," Workat said.

Hedwig quickly spotted a vial of red liquid and reached for it. She caught it, but a badger's foot stamped on her wing.

"Killing yourself won't do yourself or your friends any favours," Workat said. "There is just nothing you can do to stop me from winning so you might as well serve me."

After the badger freed her wing, Hedwig put her wings up.

"That's more like it," Workat said. "All right, release her."

The badger freed Hedwig from the net.

"Follow me."

Everyone followed the evil dictator out of the throne room.

"No, Liam!" Jane-Ann screamed.

But it was too late. Liam fired his wand at Workat. The glaring giant monster turned around and fired his wand at him.

BOOM!

After ten seconds of letting the dust clear, Workat discovered that he didn't fire at the mice, but…

"Hedwig!"

The rodents ran to the owl's body and started tearing up.

"You little ones try that again and I promise next time you won't be so lucky!" Workat yelled. Then he turned two eagles.

"Take her and dispose of her… on top of the volcano."

"Yes, sir," the eagles said together. They picked up the unconscious owl with their feet and flew out.

Workat turned to the little rodents who were trying to escape. He waved his wand and sent a freezing spell. They were successfully frozen. Then Workat waved his wand, preparing a deadly curse, and he aimed for the defenceless rodents, but then his right arm was pushed up and the magic blast hit his throne. He glared at his commander of his armed forces. "Bakey? Why?"

"Because you killed my parents and I've been waiting for the right moment to avenge them," Bakey said, flying towards the frozen rodents.

Workat laughed. "So is that why you joined my forces, arrested and killed many animals? Just to avenge your parents? You think deserting me is going to make the refuges welcome you?"

"I don't need a lot of allies," Bakey said, putting the frozen rodents on his back.

"After the traitor!" Workat yelled.

A dozen soldiers ran after the traitorous owl and fired their wands at him. Bakey rolled to a corner and fired his wand.

The soldiers weren't hit.

"You missed!" yelled one.

"Did I?" Bakey smiled.

The soldiers discovered too late that the roof was coming down on them.

The dust and rubble quickly flew to both sides of the tree wall as Workat walked. He frown-smiled as he put his wand away and inspected the remains of the flu powder on the ground. "You think you're very clever, don't you, Bakey? But neither you nor your friends are powerful enough to stop me."

* * *

Workat whistled and his entire army approached him around his tree.

"I am sorry to report that your beloved commander and my most trusted soldier has betrayed us," he told them. "Now he has joined the refuges, it is time for the wipe out of all the animals of the old forest.

"For too long have they planned to wipe us out but now with Serpo out of the way, they do not stand a chance. Let us seize this golden opportunity and finally win this war while they are defenceless."

His soldiers cheered and waved their wands up and down.

"We march in an hour's time." He turned to head back inside his tree but was stopped by a rabbit.

"Sir, Julia has fled as well," the rabbit reported.

Workat just smiled. "Do not worry. She cannot not help Serpo a second time. Just get ready."

"Yes, sir." The rabbit hopped off, leaving Workat to get ready himself.


	10. More Ways to Cheat Death

Refugee Mountain was echoing the screams of all the animals running away from the fallen fruit and vegetable market stall. The guards ran past the citizens and gathered around the broken pieces of the stall.

The Mayor pushed past them and aimed his wand. "Oh, it's you three," he said, as he noticed the rodents. But when he saw Bakey, he pointed his wand at them. "Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Bakey," the barn owl replied. "I just escaped Workat and rescued these rodents."

"Where is Serpo?" the Mayor asked.

"She is dead, I fear," Bakey sighed. "And to make matters worse, Workat is taking advantage of it and intends to wipe us out."

The mayor did not like the sound of what he heard. He knew there were only about three hundred animals in his mountain, and only seventy five were old enough or able to fight; the rest were either too young, too weak or too disabled.

"And he will not accept our surrender," Bakey added. "He will not rest until we are as gone as dodos."

That didn't help the Mayor to relax any better, but it helped him make a decision. "Summon every citizen," he told the guards.

"Yes, sir," they all said.

As they left, Bakey walked to a little corner and waved his wand over the rodents.

As soon as he was free from the frozen spell, Liam gasped when he saw Bakey. He grinded his teeth and aimed his wand at him.

"If it wasn't for me, you would be dead," Bakey told him. "You're free from the frozen spell and back in Refugee Mountain. I've even warned the Mayor about Workat's attack on here. If I was still on his side, I wouldn't have done all that."

Liam still didn't put his wand down. His elder cousin did and put Suzy in his arms.

"All right, we'll play along with you," Jane-Ann said. "But it's still going to take a long time to get over what you did to us and Hedwig."

"I'm sorry about Hedwig," Bakey said. "I was planning to show her my true self but even I find Workat so unpredictable."

As he explained further about why he joined Workat to protect himself and how he faked his victims' deaths by putting them into comas – "because Workat knows a memory charm when he sees them," he explained to them, though they still didn't seem any more impressed – they joined the citizens, gathering around the mayor.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I fear I have only bad news," the mayor said. "Workat is planning to wipe us out and his ex-soldier Bakey here, who has turned against him, says surrender is not an option. I fear that all who are able to fight has to join me in battle. I will need all I can with me, so I have to leave the rest will only five soldiers." Then he pointed to the five soldiers: two rabbits, a fox, a sparrow and a mole. "You five will stay and look after our civilians. The rest, you have two minutes to stay goodbye to your loved ones and then we will march on."

As everyone hugged and said their goodbyes, Bakey started to move ahead already. Then he discovered he was not alone. "I know what you're thinking, guys, but you're still not coming with me."

"Oh, come on," Liam protested. "You guys need all the help you can get."

"Still haven't learnt anything, Liam?" Jane-Ann protested. "We have caused more harm than good with our actions."

"Your cousin's right, Liam," Bakey said. "So do yourself, your cousins and us a favour by staying out of this and leaving it to the professionals."

"No, I can't!" Liam protested. "If we're going to die, I'd rather die fighting than be a sitting duck!" He noticed a family of ducks looking at him and smiled sheepishly. "No offense." He started to move again, but Bakey stopped him again.

"If Hedwig was here," the barn owl said, "what would she tell you to do?"

"Nothing, because she can't speak at all." Liam had to laugh and couldn't see why his cousins and Bakey couldn't.

"Bakey, it's time!" the mayor called.

"Goodbye, guys," Bakey said to the rodents. Then he flew off to join the volunteer soldiers.

"Good luck," Jane-Ann called, as she, Liam and Suzy and the rest of refugees waved goodbye to the volunteers before the door was shut behind them.

* * *

"Okay, attention!"

Once the volunteers were gathered, the mayor waved his wand and created a map of Alsder Forest on the soil. He pointed to the triangle in the middle explaining that it was the mountain. Then he pointed to the each corner of the map and explained about five soldiers would be place at each corner of the mountain to a keep an eye for any of Workat's members. The rest would be spread out further into the forest to look out for the approaching army…

"If they're not wearing invisible capes, that is," the mayor said.

The soldiers laughed.

"Sir," Bakey said. "I thought I should mention that Workat has moles, badgers and worms in his army. They can dig their way under the mountain, move their way up and attack the refugees like – " He snapped his primaries.

"Then every mole and worm and underground creature we have will be near the mountain underground, but the rest will stay on the surface and you know the objectives." The Mayor cleared his throat. All right, men, that is all. You know your jobs. Good luck!"

The soldiers saluted him and went to their positions.

As he led the chosen soldiers to his south-west corner of the mountain, Bakey wondered about Hedwig. He didn't know whether to mourn for her death or hoped she cheated death again.

* * *

The soldiers carrying Hedwig was approaching the volcano. They checked to see that their prisoner wasn't waking up from the burning heat or the smelly smoke. They swung the owl once, then twice and then finally let go. They saw Hedwig descending towards the lava and then they turned around and started to fly away.

POP!

The eagles turned and looked around to see the lava popping. They felt really pleased with themselves that they have finally killed Serpo. They resumed their flying, but then they heard more pops! They turned around to see more lava pops.

The soldiers looked up to see the top surface of the volcano and who should they find but Hedwig!

"She survived!" cried one soldier. "But how? How can she cheat all these deaths?"

"I don't care and neither does Workat!" the other soldier cried. "All he cares about is that she's dead! Now, let's get to work!"

The soldiers charged to Hedwig, who was throwing rocks at them. Then she lost her ground and slipped. Quickly realising that it was a wand blast that knocked her off the volcano edge, Hedwig flew around dodging the soldiers' wand blasts as she fast as she could. Then she could hear some screams and turned around to see the soldiers groaning as they fell towards the lava.

Hedwig looked up to see Julia holding her wand. She flew up to her.

"I know you're still mad at me for ruining your life," Julia said, "and I know this doesn't change anything, but you would be dead if it wasn't for your own nanny."

Hedwig found it very hard to believe; so hard that she had to laugh her beak off.

"If you don't believe me, follow me," Julia snapped, feeling insulted.

Hedwig stopped laughing when she realised how serious Julia was being and followed her.

* * *

Julia took Hedwig to a puddle of water and gave her a vial. Not knowing what it had anything to do with her, the snowy owl opened it, poured the tear in the puddle and put her face in. Then she could see flashes of a young hedgehog attending to the care of a newly-born owl and playing with her and feeding her. Then one very loud night, Julia put some glowing light-blue orbs into the baby owl's beak. Then she waved her wand, putting a memory charm on the owl.

Then Julia ran away to the edge of the forest with the baby owl. Then she got spotted by Workat's soldiers. She quickly threw the owl into the floating river to avoid getting captured by Workat.

Julia fought the soldiers as best as she could but her wand was blasted out and was frozen. She was unfrozen and, when his soldiers discovered that they couldn't find Serpo, Workat enslaved her to scrub his floors, clean his walls and polish his furniture. Then every night she would spend every in his dungeon. And she lived that life every single day of her life until today.

Hedwig popped her head back out of the puddle and gasped for air.

"Those blue orbs, or Death Cheaters, are how you survived from Workat an hour ago," Julia explained. "And that is how you survived when you got hit during those dementors the last time you were with Harry Potter. I have no more and no one knows if they are any more, so remember next time you face death, you won't be able to cheat it for a third time."

Then Hedwig remembered her master and how much help he needed. She was about to take off but a vision struck her to stop. She couldn't believe what she was seeing that her master was dead on the grounds of Hogwarts with Voldemort and his army triumphing over. She couldn't bear it. Her master, the only one she ever had, her whole world was gone and she felt like she had nothing left in her life.

"I'm sorry about your master," Julia said. "I know how you must feel, but this forest needs you and it needs you now."

As those words sank into her head, Hedwig then thought about all the time she had been with Jane-Ann, Liam and Suzy and how much this whole forest depended on Serpo.

"And I can and will help you, if you let me, that is." Julia shyly stuck her hand out.

Hedwig knew what she was going to say and quickly shook her hand and smiled, forgiving her and even admiring her for what she had done.

"Thank you, Miss Serpo," Julia said. Then she saw the owl using her feet to write something on the mud. Then she was picked up and she read the writing. "Okay. 'Hedwig' it is, then."

Then they heard yelling. Hedwig started to fly ahead, but she was stopped by Julia.

"We're going need more helpers than just us two and the entire refugees put together, Hedwig," the hedgehog told her.

Hedwig nodded. Then she thought of just the animals to help her. She and Julia wasted no time.

"I hope you know what you're doing!" Julia yelled.


	11. The Battle of Alsder

The mayor kept on losing his focus and nodding off. He and his soldiers had been hiding behind trees for two hours and no one from Workat's army was in sight, not even for the birds from the highest branch from the tallest trees to see.

"Sir," called the nearest badger.

The mayor jumped and glared at him. "That's the twenty-eighth time you've poked me under my armpit, Captain."

"Sorry, sir," said the badger. "But you said we all need to stay focus, including you."

"Sir, I just had a thought," said a rabbit. "No one has heard or made a sound since everyone's been at their post."

"So what, Sergeant?" the mayor said.

"Do you think that Workat and his army are attacking are the others, including the ones underground, stealthy?" the rabbit suggested.

The mayor thought that could be a highly possible, yet also highly unrealistic. "Well, we can't shout to the others to check they're okay otherwise Workat will hear us and snatch us quicker than a golden snitch. And if I send so much as a bee to find out, the enemy will find us, too.

"Now, I know you don't like the idea of us just be sitting ducks – No offence, Sergeant," the mayor said to the nearest duck, who seemed just as frustrated as Liam the rodent said that to him over two hours ago.

"But we have no other options," the mayor went on. "But at least we have our wands and we know every magic trick in the book."

Then the rabbit next to the mayor was kneeled to the ground and fell down. The mayor and his soldiers gathered around him and saw blood pouring out of his back.

"Well, _almost_ every magic trick in the book," said the badger.

"Turn around and focus!" The mayor re-aimed his wand and saw a squad of Workat's charging for them. "Fire!"

* * *

Bakey and his section of warriors were having no better luck than the mayor's. Workat's soldiers were charging for them with their wands armed.

"Aim for the necks!" Bakey ordered.

He had tried that many times but, despite his service in Workat's forces for years, he was no more professional at defeating Workat's goons than the volunteers.

Then he had an idea. "Spread out!" he ordered to the warriors. "Spread out and try to take them in any way you can!"

The volunteers thought he was crazy but, because they were not as half as experienced as he was, they looked at each and quickly agreed to obey.

Bakey aimed his wand at Workat's squad. He had tried everything he knew, save for one. He never liked it and never wanted to use it unless there was no other way. He fired a deadly cruse at his enemies and they fell down.

"Very good."

Bakey jumped and turned around to see his former lord behind him.

"You know, I really liked you for all you've done for me," Workat told him. "You were the only one I trusted. I could even call you my friend! So do you know what it's like to feel like you've lost your friend when he wasn't even your friend?"

"Well, I guess I never realised I was _that_ good." Bakey smiled.

Workat sneered. "That's the last thing you'll ever laugh at."

Seeing his former master getting his wand out, Bakey flew as fast as he could but he didn't get very far.

* * *

In Refugee Mountain, the citizens were hiding inside the mayor's hut, surrounded by the guards. They were on the edge due to their lack of knowledge of the battle's progress. Everyone, except…

Liam sighed. "This is so boring."

"Boring and safe," Jane-Ann said.

Liam yawned and went to the open window. "We've been here for two hours and nothing, I repeat, nothing exciting or dull has happened. If some creatures started coming in here, at least we'd know where we are."

Then he started to wish he never said that when he saw holes in the ground of the village. "Like I said, at least we're getting results," he went on.

"Everyone, gather around in the middle," ordered one of the guards.

After making sure each and every single citizen was in the circle, the guards gathered around them and armed their wands.

One citizen in the middle was going down. So was another! A third! A fourth!

The guards and the citizens saw that the very middle citizens had fallen into a hole and it was expanding!

"Everyone, outside!" Jane-Ann yelled.

No one argued with her. But when they got out, all they saw that they were surrounded by a whole army of four foot, deadly-looking scorpions.

"Head west!" yelled a guard.

As the citizens ran, the guards fired their wands at the charging scorpions. They weren't killing the beasts, but the blasts were enough to slow them down.

Then everyone stopped.

"Why aren't we moving?" a guard demanded.

"Snakes!" Jane-Ann yelled, pointing ahead.

The guards saw that three foot snakes were crawling towards them.

"Turn!" they yelled. But when they did, everyone saw nothing but scorpions that have caught up to them. There was nowhere to turn or run. All the animals could do was gulp and fear for the worst.

* * *

"Rally to me! Rally to me!"

All the remaining volunteers, which were a maximum number of twelve, gathered around the mayor.

"What's the report?" he asked.

"Workat's forces are coming in fast," one soldier reported.

"Tell me something I don't know," the mayor snapped.

BLAST!

Everyone looked up to see an explosion and rocks falling from the top of Refugee Mountain.

The mayor could not believe what he had just witnessed. He felt that all his years of protecting the citizens of Alsder from the wrath of Workat have been turned to mulch and is now sprouting with stinging nettles. His home, his people, his friends and his pride had gone up in smoke. All he could feel now was nothing but emptiness.

"And Workat's forces are approaching us at six o'clock!" another soldier yelled.

The mayor quickly turned around to see that the third one was not wrong. "Run!" he yelled.

They ran as fast as they could but they were lifted up in the air. They saw they were approaching a crocodile that had a waving wand in his hand and his mouth open.

"Don't worry, lads," the mayor said. "We will die with honour. And I also wanted to say it has been a complete honour to be serving and fighting with you."

As he and his soldiers started to enter the croc's mouth, he closed his eyes. Then he felt like he was going up. He woke up to find himself not in the crocodile's mouth, but in the feet of…

"Serpo!" the mayor cried happily.

"She prefers the name 'Hedwig'," Julia called from the snowy owl's back. Then she turned around. "All right, guys, get them!

Both Workat's forces and the Alsder refugees were totally confused, but the refugees finally understood when out of the bushes came trolls and giant spiders charging for Workat's soldiers.

Hedwig put refugees down on the ground. Julia, the mayor and the volunteers fired their wands at Workat's army, knocking them down.

"I don't care what your name is," the mayor said to Hedwig. "The prophecy is true. You are the owl to stop Workat. Or die trying."

"Hedwig!"

The snowy owl turned around to see Liam and Jane-Ann, carrying baby Suzy, running towards her. They embraced her and she felt so happy that they were alive.

"I thought you were dead," Liam said.

"I thought you would forget us and go back to Harry Potter," Jane-Ann said.

Hedwig just smiled, feeling glad that she couldn't talk otherwise she would had to say that she only came back because Harry Potter was dead, not because saving the forest was her destiny.

"It worked!" Julia cheered.

"What worked?" Jane-Ann asked.

"The snakes flu-powered you out of the mountain before Workat's scorpions tried to blow up the mountains," Julia told them.

"So that's what those snakes were doing in there, then?" Liam said.

"That's right."  
Everyone turned to see the snakes and the rest of the refugees who appeared to be unharmed.

"And it was Hedwig who sent them," Julia went on. "Not only that, but we paid Workat's place a visit while he and his goons were out. And we found this." She showed everyone.

Everyone gathered closer.

"A plant blub?" Liam scoffed.

"Not just any plant blub, Liam," Tina said. "This is the Blurburis Bulb; the blub that grants Workat his evil powers and his power over the forest."

"So we just destroy it and this curse will be finally over?" a snake said.

"Well, let's get on with it," Liam cried. He waved his wand. " _Incendio_!"

But the blub didn't get a single spark, let alone a single flame.

"It can't be destroyed by any wand, Liam," Julia told him. "We need something more powerful."

Everyone thought as hard as they could but no one could come up with a good enough idea.

Then Hedwig sniffed her wings. They were still smoky. Then she went to Julia and made her sniff.

"Your wings are still smoky," the hedgehog said. "So what?"

Hedwig shook her head in annoyance and pointed upwards.

Everyone saw the volcano; the volcano that Workat nearly had Hedwig thrown into.

"You really think tossing the bulb in the volcano will work?" Jane-Ann said.

"Think about it," Tina said. "If we can't destroy this magic thing with magic, we just have to destroy with non magic stuff."

"Then let's go!" Liam charged for it, but was held back by Hedwig. She pointed to the volcano and then to herself.

"Why do you always want to go by yourself?" Liam snapped.

Hedwig grabbed the blub and looked at it. Then she looked to the volcano and back down to her friends. She remembered that Julia telling her about those two orbs that saved her from death. She knew that she didn't have a third one in her to avoid death this time, but she knew that the bulb and Workat must be destroyed and the Forest of Alsder must return. She thought the Alsder citizens deserved that after all they've been through in her years of absence.

Hedwig waved to her friends one last time, who returned the wave. Then she flew off but a roar knocked the owl to the ground.

The refugees armed their wands, but they were pinned down by a Hungarian Hoetail. The spiders threw web at the Welsh Green, but the web kept on getting burnt. The trolls tried to whack two Chinese Fireballs away, but they kept hitting their own kind on the head every time a dragon flew past.

Everyone was surrounded by a dozen dragons. Then a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon landed in the middle. And there was no need to guess who the rider was.

"Give me the Blurburis Bulb, Serpo," Workat ordered.

Hedwig still held the bulb in her foot and backed even further away. Then she found out that she was halted by the nose of a Welsh Green.

"I don't understand you, Serpo," Workat said, as he pushed his Ridgeback forward. "You know you are not a magical creature, yet you still try to defeat the most magical, dangerous force in this forest, which is me.

"You know if you try to fly out of here, you will get hit and this time, unlike your final moment with your former master, you will die. And you can't use flu powder because you can't speak. So why don't you give up and surrender to me?"

Hedwig had made her way to her rodent friends and glared at him.

Workat was getting tired of her. "What are you going to do now, hmm? What trick can you use now?"

"Mount Husfer!" Jane-Ann yelled and slammed the flu powder down.


	12. A New Home for All

The rodents felt hotter.

"We made it," Liam cried.

They certainly did. The flu powder had taken them exactly where they wanted to be: at the top of the volcano known as Mount Husfer. Then they saw that Hedwig was flying above the lava pool, with the Blurburis Bulb in her feet. She gave her friends a wink.

"Go on, Hedwig!" Liam cheered.

"Time to show Workat who's the real boss!" Jane-Ann joined in.

"Couldn't agree more!"

Hedwig and the rodents froze as they looked ahead. They saw Workat on his Ridgeback. Half of his dragons were behind them.

Workat landed in front of the rodents. Then he looked the dragons and pointed to Hedwig. They roared as they charged for the snowy owl.

"You guys have run out of all your tricks," Workat said to the rodents. "You have only one option: join me. Refuse this time and the only place you'll go is into that lava down there."

The rodents looked down at the lava, then at each other.

"Then throw me into the lava," Liam said.

"What?" Jane-Ann and Workat cried together.

"I would rather die in honour of Hedwig, of your parents who help to raise me and of the old forest than serve this monster and his kingdom of abomination," Liam explained to his cousin. Then he faced the monster. "Let my cousins decide for themselves, but what I decided for myself is final."

"Take care of my little sister," Jane-Ann said, dropping baby Suzy in front of Workat. Then she joined a very shocked Liam and even held his hand.

"Jane-Ann, what are you doing?" Liam asked.

"Agreeing with you for once," Jane-Ann told him. "I don't know if this is the smart or the right thing to do, but it feels right to do anyway."

"I think your little sister agrees with you two," Workat said.

Liam and Jane-Ann saw Suzy crawling towards her.

"Suzy, what are you doing?" Jane-Ann snapped. "Go. Go and live."

But all the baby mouse did was wrap her arms around Jane-Ann's leg. The oldest sister tried to shake her off, but she wouldn't let go. She sighed and picked her up.

"Now you decided to take the death sentence," Workat said, "let's get on with it. I'll make it quick and painless as much as I can."

The three rodents turned around and faced the lava pool. They looked up to see Hedwig was running out of breath despite keeping her stamina up and running out of tricks to dodge the dragons. None of them knew how long she could keep this up the way things were.

"Now you've had your final look of your friend," Workat said, "it's time to jump."

The rodents looked at the lava again. They were too scared to do it. They always knew they would die at some point in their lives, but they felt it was too soon. Neither of them had much hope in life, but they were never too depressed to commit suicide.

"You have three seconds to carry out your death sentences," Workat said, "or I will do it for you."

Liam, Jane-Ann and Suzy looked at each other and at the lava.

"One… two… three…"

They just couldn't just surrender to Workat like that and they felt like if he wants them dead, he should see to it. So they closed their eyes and waited for his move. Then screaming made them turn around to find Workat on flames. He ran in their direction. They moved out of the way and watched the evil warlock explode into the pool of lava.

The lava shot up, scaring the dragons and Hedwig away. Without realising it, she dropped the bulb. When she discovered it, she looked back and was pleased that the bulb finally burnt in the lava.

The rodents turned back around to see the other dragons flying behind them with the Alsder citizens on their backs instead of in their claws. On the Norwegian Ridgeback was Bakey.

"Bakey!" Liam cried. "It thought you were dead!"

"Yes, well, I took just one Death Cheater, too," Bakey called back.

Then there was a massive rumbling.

"The volcano is going to erupt!" Bakey turned to Hedwig. "Get your friends, Hedwig!"

Despite seeming to be of their side, Hedwig was still unsure about trusting Bakey, but she knew now was not the time to question or doubt him so she decided to obey him.

The lava was catching up to the rodents.

"Let's jump!" Jane-Ann yelled. "One, two, three!"

She, still holding Suzy, and Liam jumped off the ledge before the lava could grab them. They had to make a hazy decision so they were worried about how low they were going to land or how far they were away from the lava.

Then they landed on something. But it wasn't a rock.

"Hedwig!" the rodents cried together.

Hedwig flew upwards and headed to Bakey. She let the rodents board the Ridgeback. But she could only see two.

"Where's Suzy?" Jane-Ann gasped.

Everyone looked down everywhere. Hedwig flew down and looking for the baby mouse, but she was having no luck in very short time with the lava getting closer.

Then she heard baby crying. She followed her ear and quickly discovered that a crying baby mouse was tangled in a very unhealthy looking thorn plant. Hedwig flied closer to the thorn plant and tried to free Suzy but the thorns were too sharp for her to touch let alone grab them.

Then seeing the lava approaching them very quickly made Hedwig be brave and pull the braches away with her feet. Suzy was about to fall down, but the snowy owl flew in the middle and grabbed her with her beak.

Hedwig tried to fly out, but the thorns caught her wings.

"Hedwig, throw her to us, quick!" Bakey yelled.

Hedwig quickly saw the Ridgeback flying towards her. She threw Suzy and was pleased to find Liam and Jane-Ann grabbing her. She continued to make her way out, but she started to float away.

"Hedwig!" Liam cried.

"Quick, grab your wands!" Bakey yelled.

Everyone grabbed their wands and aimed to free Hedwig, but she and the plant fell over a ledge.

Bakey flew the Ridgeback past the lava fall and tried to look for Hedwig over the river of lava that was taking over the entire forest of Alsder.

"I can't find her anywhere!" Liam said.

"Hate to admit it, but maybe she's burning alive," Bakey said.

"No! No!" Liam yelled. "I can't accept that!"

"Well, we can't search for her now!" Bakey told him. "The lava's getting bigger and hotter as we speak! We must find higher ground! Let's go!"

Everyone followed him leaving the river of lava to get higher and hotter.

* * *

Soon the entire citizens of Alsder discovered and landed on Mount Juthuer. It was bigger than Refugee Mountain but smaller than Mount Husfer. It was big enough to watch the lava pass by.

Despite escaping death, everyone was sad. No one knew how long the lava would last and there was very little food and only a small puddle of collected rainwater. But those were minor problems compared to everyone feeling the lost of Serpo otherwise known as Hedwig.

It was upsetting everyone, but Liam, Jane-Ann and Suzy were taking it the hardest out of everyone.

The mayor went to them and took them in his arms. "I know how you are all feeling," the mayor said. "I've lost all my family members. My own mother and father, all my siblings, my own wife and own children. I promised myself that if I lived through this war, I would have a family again. I don't know if you would like – "

"We need to think about, sir," Jane-Ann said.

"And don't forget I'm not their brother," Liam said. "I'm their cousin."

"Well, you have been a like a brother to me and Suzy, Liam," Jane-Ann told him.

"Thanks," Liam said back. "And you and Suzy have been like sisters to me, too."

"Well, I can be your legal guardian if you like," the mayor suggested. "That way you guys can be together and I can support you all without having to choose."

The rodents started to think about it.

"Hey, look!" Bakey cried. "The lava!"

Everyone looked over.

"It's gone!" Liam cried. "And the ground is cooling down."

"Not only that," Bakey said. "Something is popping up."

Everyone looked at the ground. Something was popping out.

"Wands ready!" the mayor ordered.

Every warrior with a wand got ready and aimed at a… full grown silver birch?

"A tree?" Liam said.

"Two more trees," Jane-Ann added.

There were two more fully grown oak trees.

"Ten more trees!" Bakey exclaimed happily.

Soon the creatures of Alsder were delighted to see their burnt home growing tall, green and vast.

"The forest is better than it ever was before," the mayor said. "Let's go and check out our new home."


	13. Time to Move On

After seeing the forest grew for half an hour, the Alsder citizens went down to check it out.

Everyone remained on the lowest big rock while a snake volunteer slithered down to check out the ground next to the feet of the mountain. He touched it with his tail and it seemed fine. Then he slithered onto the grass.

After two minutes of checking the ground, the snake smiled and jumped up and down in joy. "Come on!" he cried. "The grass is great!"

The Alsder citizens felt better once they touched the long smooth green grass. Even the soil patches were smooth. And there were also no fallen branches so every creature was jumping up and down without falling over.

"Hey, check it out!"

Everyone saw Liam pointing to trees; apple trees, pear trees, orange trees, peach trees and thousand of fruits trees.

"Now no one will go hungry ever again," the cocky rodent said.

"Also those trees will provide us home, shelter and a chance to tackle global warming," Bakey added.

"And if fruit trees can grow in the ground," Jane-Ann said, "that means we can grow vegetables as well."

"And the rivers are as clean as they were before Workat made them unfit to drink," cried an otter as he, other otters, ducks and frogs swam in it.

On the surface, some animals were drinking from the river as if they had not had a drop of water in years.

"Feathers!" Jane-Ann ran and picked up some snowy owl feathers from a burnt thorn bush. Everyone gathered around to see them.

Bakey took and examined the feathers. "She was definitely here."

Everyone lowered their heads and went silent to pay tribute the snowy owl that saved them from an evil force.

Liam was nudged and he looked behind him. "Not now, Hedwig. We are busy mourning for you." Then he faced forward again. After a long while, he shook his head and turned around to see that he had just been talking to Hedwig!

"Heddy!" Liam had to embrace her, so did Jane-Ann and Suzy.

The whole forest cheered when they saw the Saviour of the Alsder Forest was alive.

"You made it," a snake cried, shaking its tail with the owl.

"Thank you for saving all of us," Tina the troll said, patting her on the head.

Hedwig was overwhelmed but moved by the citizens' cheering and appraisal. Then she bumped into the ex-mayor of Refugee Mountain.

"Well done, Lady Serpo," he said. "But another matter is at hand."

* * *

Two hours later, the entire population of Alsder were gathered around what was once Workat's home palace. There was no more of the giant dark tree with thorns. Instead there was a giant smooth silver birch with a lot of green leaves.

"The Royal Tree has returned!" Tina cried. "And it's bigger and greener than it ever was."  
The Mayor approached the oak-wooden chair outside the birch tree. "Citizens of Alsder, you and I both know that it is so good to have our old home back. But the better news is that not only have the trees come back, but also the heir to the Forest Throne has returned to reclaim it." He got out a thing of wooden sticks with green leaves wrapped in a circle. "Lady Serpo, your Forest Crown awaits."

Everyone applauded as Hedwig landed in front of the throne, yet she didn't look too happy about it.

"Lady Serpo," the mayor called, gesturing towards the throne. "In your own time."

But the snowy owl instead took the Forest Crown from him and flew off. Everyone was shocked.

"Heddy!" Liam called.

"Where are you going?" Jane-Ann cried.

They got their answer when Hedwig landed in of Julia.

"What's she doing with Julia?" Liam asked Jane-Ann.

"No, no," said his cousin. "It couldn't be." But then she saw that she was right.

The Forest Crown was on Julia's head. "Why?" she asked.

Hedwig didn't know how to tell everyone because she couldn't speak.

" _Legilimens_!"

As a blue force overtook her, the snowy owl saw Liam pointing a wand at her and he closed his eyes, like he was focusing on something.

After ten seconds, the blue force stopped and Liam opened his eyes. "All right, listen up, everyone. Hedwig doesn't want to be the new queen of Alsder because she just doesn't fancy it. But because Julia has done so much for her, she's picked her for the new queen and believes she will do an excellent job."

"Oh, Hedwig, I'm honoured," Julia said, taking the crown off her head. "But I can't accept it. I don't know the first thing – "

But the crown was put back on her head and she was soon sitting in the throne chair. Then she saw Hedwig bowing to her, followed by the entire population. Even the snakes and the trolls were bowing to her.

"Long live Queen Julia of Alsder!" the ex-mayor called out to the Alsder residents.

Then the new queen was emotional as everyone gave her a round of applause.

* * *

Moonlight hovered over the Royal Tree as Hedwig happily watched the citizens celebrate Queen Julia's Coronation. Lit candles helped some citizens eat fruit and vegetables on the wooden dining table and some dance on the grass dance floor.

Hedwig felt very sure that the forest was now safe and in very good hands. She went behind the Royal Tree and was about to fly off.

"Miss Hedwig."

The snowy owl stopped to find Queen Julia, the ex-mayor of Refugee Mountain, Jane-Ann, Liam and Suzy approaching her.

"Popping off without saying goodbye?" Queen Julia said.

Hedwig pointed to her beak.

"Oh, we know you can't talk," Jane-Ann said. "But that's still no excuse to leave us like that."

Hedwig pointed to the young rodents.

"I'm their guardian now," the ex-mayor said. "Now I'm a retired mayor of a place that no longer needs to exist, I shall nurture them and make sure they grow up to be great wizards. I give you my word."

Hedwig nodded a 'you better had' nod.

"And I shall make this forest will never fall into the hands of an evil force ever again," Queen Julia said.

Hedwig smiled and bowed to her.

Liam and Suzy, both in tears, wrapped their arms around Hedwig who tearfully return their hug. "We'll never forget you, Heddy," Liam sobbed.

Hedwig shook her head, saying she won't forget them either.

Then it was Jane-Ann's turn. "I guess… I just wanted to say… thank you for everything you've done for us, Hedwig." Then she burst into tears and hugged around the snowy owl. "I shall miss you."

Hedwig gave her an 'I'll miss you, too' look. After Jane-Ann went to rejoin her family and her friends waved, the snowy owl dried her tears, gave them one last wave and flew off.

* * *

Hedwig woke up and found herself on a branch. She must fell asleep without realizing how tired she must have been.

As she stretched herself in front of the sunrise, she thought of all her friends back in Alsder. She only realized now that she missed them, especially her rodents friends. Then she remembered that her master is dead and there was no point in going back to Hogwarts. A realization took over her mind: she was depressed because she has no purpose in life now she had no Harry Potter and had given up Alsdser and said goodbye to her friends. What was she to do now?"

"Hedwig!"

The snowy owl turned around to see sitting next to her was… Bakey.

"I got something you might want to see," he said. "Follow me."

As she followed him, Hedwig wondered what Bakey wanted to show her. There were so many ideas like showing her a new tree for her to live in or a river for her to have a drink because she was so thirsty, she couldn't put her wing on it but she hoped it would be good. Then she landed on the same branch that Bakey landed on after ten minutes of flying. He pointed.

Hedwig couldn't believe what she was seeing. In front of her was Hogwarts. She was impressed to see the staff and the students alive and well over the deceased Voldemort and his Death Eaters. But what the snowy owl saw next made thought she was day-dreaming. She saw her own and only master, Harry Potter, was alive and well. He couldn't stop breathing; it looked like he had just finally defeated Voldemort this very second. Then he was comforted by his friends.

"As a reward for all you've done for Alsder Forest," Bakey said, "here is your chance to go back to your master now he's back alive and well. Goodbye, Hedwig, and thanks." Then he flew off.

Hedwig waved him back and was about to fly off to Harry, but stopped herself. Then she kept on looking at Bakey flying off and Harry getting praised for his battles.

Bakey was flying alone and miserable. He was glad that Workat and his evil force were gone but now he felt lonely. He knew he could have resided near the Royal Tree where most Alsder residents lived, but being there reminded him how he had to work with the bad guys. And he still doubted that Hedwig still forgave after all the things he did.

Then he got his questions got answered when he saw Hedwig flying in front of him. "Hedwig? But what about your master?"

Hedwig pointed to the nearest branch and landed. Bakey landed, waved his wand and said, " _Legilimens_!" Then he read Hedwig's mind about how helping Alsder Forest has made her realize that, while she still loves Harry Potter, there's more to life than just that and she decided it's time for her to move on. Then she realized there are more evil forces than just Workat and Voldemort.

After stopping the spell, Bakey saw Hedwig offering him her wing. "A partnership? Are you serious?"

After Hedwig nodded, Bakey shook her wing gladly. He felt very happy and that he had a new purpose in life. Then he was surprised when his beak was pulled in towards Hedwig's beak. He liked it.

"Right, let's go and have some more adventures!" Bakey cried happily.

Hedwig squeaked happily as she followed her new partner towards the sunset over Alsder Forest.


End file.
